482 Science and the Bible. [July,
Besides
this continuous flow, there is also, in growth, an adaptation to new
conditions of existence, involving certain changes of structure. So
the earth, in its geological progress, passed through changes of
climate from hot to cold, and changes in the waters and land ; and
these involved a passing away of the old species of plants and animals,
as the new conditions came on. We have abundantly illustrated this, in
our first Article, where it is shown that destructions of life
followed destructions ; creations, creations ; and thus the earth was
in incessant change.1
Speculating
on such decays in nature, the mind rather naturally thinks of some
deterioration in vital force. But in fact, these so-named decays
(really destructions) were largely due to changes of level in the
earth's crust, a raising of the sea-bottom out of the water, over
regions of continental extent, or even larger surface, destroying all
sea-life, and a sinking, obliterating land-life. This old-fashioned
cause of destruction is yet at work, though more limited in its
effects, destroying individuals rather than species. Igneous action
was another efficient cause ; and this cause also still acts, in a
weaker way. Besides these, the change of climate in progress through
past ages, operated; but not so much in causing the extinction of
species as of tribes, by bringing about conditions which were not
favorable to any new creations of species under certain of the old
tribes fitted only for earlier time and circumstances. It may also be,
that species have died out from exhaustion of vital force, independent
of such physical changes ; but of this we have no evidence. Moreover,
this would not be precisely accordant with the analogies of animal
life. For in an animal the decays attending growth are connected with
the general progress of the organism, and are not due to independent
finite-ness in the parts themselves.
1
Twenty or more sweeping destructions occurred (besides other partial
ones) on this continent after the appearance of animal life (that is,
through or during the 5th and 6th days of Genesis, and mostly the 5th),
and a larger number in Europe. The catastrophe after the coal period in
North America corresponds to the middle of the fifth day. The World-Problem has a remark about this catastrophe, which is based on a misunderstanding of the facts.
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